History

• Mission Statement

  The Weber State History Department embraces the vital role of history as the record of political, social, economic, and cultural events and achievements of humankind. We recognize history's power to illuminate the present and inform the future, reflecting the core values and missions of both the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Weber State University's Amplified Strategic Plan.

  Our overarching mission is to empower students with a comprehensive understanding of history while nurturing their analytical and interpretive skills. We are committed to aligning our department's goals with the broader university mission and the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences' dedication to excellence, inclusivity, and positive impact.

  Goals of the Weber State History Department:

  Goal of Academic Excellence: To maintain rigorous academic standards, fostering critical thinking and research skills among our students, in accordance with the College's commitment to scholarly rigor.

  Goal of Career Readiness: To prepare our students for diverse career opportunities in teaching and history-related fields, aligning with the university's mission to enhance students' career prospects and lifetime success.

  Goal of General Education and Lifelong Learning: To offer courses that enrich the general education of all students, emphasizing cultural diversity and promoting a lifelong interest in history, which resonates with the university's commitment to holistic education.

  Goal of Civic Engagement: To cultivate models of civic engagement and provide the necessary skills for students to actively participate in meaningful dialogues and address contemporary challenges, mirroring the university's mission of promoting responsible citizenship.

  Goal of Scholarly Contribution: To advance historical scholarship, create new knowledge, and make historical materials accessible to public audiences, aligning with the College's mission of contributing to the community's intellectual growth.

  Goal of Program Diversity: To provide a range of undergraduate pathways, including history majors, minors, and teaching licensure, contributing to cultural diversity and fulfilling the state's American Institutions requirement to foster informed citizenship.

  Goal of Community Engagement: To foster relationships with community members, educational institutions, and the broader public in our region, as a testament to our commitment to community engagement and the university's role as a positive force in society.

  These goals represent our department's commitment to excellence and inclusivity, aligning closely with the mission statements of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Weber State University's Amplified plan.

• Student Learning Outcomes
  • Certificate (Not Applicable)

     

  • Associate Degree (Not Applicable)

     

  • Bachelor Degree

    The History Department follows the guidance of the American Historical Association, which coordinated a nationwide, faculty-led project to articulate the disciplinary core of historical study and to define what a student should understand and be able to do at the completion of a history degree program.

    At the end of their study at WSU, history majors will possess the following skills and knowledge:

    HISTORICAL KNOWLEDGE
    I. (Range of historical information)

    • A. Identify the key events which express/define change over time in a broad range of places and regions.
    • B. Identify how change occurs over time.
    • C. Explain historical continuity and change.
    • D. Describe the influence of political ideologies, economic structures, social organization, cultural perceptions, and natural environments on historical events.
    • E. Discuss the ways in which factors such as race, gender, class, ethnicity, region, and religion influence historical narratives.

     

    HISTORICAL THINKING
    II.    (Recognize the past-ness of the past)

    • A. Explain how people have existed, acted, and thought in the past.
    • B. Explain what influence the past has on the present.
    • C. Interpret the complexity and diversity of situations, events, and past mentalities.
    • D. Compare eras and regions in order to define enduring issues.
    • E. Develop an international perspective on the past that addresses the cumulative effects of global exchange, engagement, and interdependence.

     

    HISTORICAL ANALYSIS
    III.    (Emphasis the complex and problematic nature of the historical record)

    • A. Recognize a range of viewpoints.
    • B. Compare competing historical narratives
    • C. Challenge arguments of historical inevitability.
    • D. Analyze cause-and-effect relationships and multiple causation.

     

    HISTORICAL SKILLS
    IV.    (Develop skills in critical thinking and reading)

    • A. Evaluate debates among historians.
    • B. Differentiate between historical facts and historical interpretations.
    • C. Assess the credibility of primary and secondary sources.

      

    HISTORICAL RESEARCH
    V.    (Develop research skills)

    • A. Formulate historical questions.
    • B. Obtain historical data from a variety of sources.
    • C. Identify gaps in available records.
    • D. Recognize the discipline's standards for accurate and ethical research.

     

    HISTORICAL ARGUMENT
    VI.    (Develop the ability to construct reasonable historical arguments)

    • A. Construct a well-organized historical argument.
    • B. Support an interpretation with historical evidence from a variety of primary and secondary sources

   

• Curriculum Grid

• Program and Contact Information

  The History Department at Weber State University offers a B.A. in History, History Teaching, and Social Science Composite Teaching. It offers as well a minor in History, History Teaching, Public History, Religious Studies, and can be one component of a Bachelors of Integrated Studies. Additionally, it offers courses that are fundamental to the Asian Studies minor, the Latin American Studies minor, the European Studies minor, the Women and Gender Studies, Queer Studies minor, and the Military Science minor, as well as an array of courses that fulfill General Education requirements. The program endeavors to serve the needs of traditional, non-traditional, and first-generation students through its class scheduling strategies and introductory learning experiences.

   

  Contact Information:
  Dr. Sara Dant, Chair
  sdant@weber.edu
  Weber State University
  Lindquist Hall Office # 258
  801-626-6699

  History Department Website

• Assessment Plan

  Beginning in Spring 2021, we take an in-depth look at one of the six department learning outcomes and assess both upper-level electives and the capstone course each semester. This allows us both to determine whether the students have mastered all of the skills necessary to complete their history major by the time they complete their capstone assignment, as well as identify any shortcomings or areas of improvement among the upper-level electives.

  In Spring 2021 we reviewed sample papers from both levels of classes (upper-level and the capstone sequence) drawn from completed courses in Spring and Summer 2020 for SLO VI: Historical Argument. In Fall 2021, we reviewed sample papers from both levels of classes drawn from completed courses in Fall 2020 for SLO V: Historical Research. In Spring 2022, we reviewed writing samples from Spring and Summer 2021 for SLO IV: Historical Skills. In Fall 2022, we reviewed papers from Fall 2021 for SLO I: Historical Knowledge. In Spring 2023, we reviewed papers from Spring and Summer 2022 for SLO II: Historical Thinking. And in Fall 2023 we reviewed papers from Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 for SLO III: Historical Analysis. As we have completed this first three-year cycle, we revised the language of the learning outcomes and created a detailed rubric for each to make visible the value of these accomplishments for our students. We reported our initial results of that process in our department biennial assessment report in Fall 2021; this update reflects the entire process over the past few years.

  For each semester, all faculty provide sample writing assignments from at least one of their upper-level courses, selecting a successful example, an average examples, and a less successful example, and anonymize the papers before submitting them to the assessment committee. We also review all of the completed 4990 capstone papers in order to consider how student skills and knowledge have developed over the course of their career in the major. We sample our courses so there is sufficient time for the members of the committee to review the material; and review them a year after they are submitted to assure our students there is sufficient space from when it was submitted until it was reviewed for assessment purposes. This allows the committee to approach its work without foreknowledge concerning specific assignments, outcomes, or students. 

  Following the completion of the first three-year cycle of all programs, rubrics were developed for all learning outcomes and can be viewed in the Program Review document, Standard C, section A, linked below.

• Assessment Report Submissions
  2021-22
  2019-20
  2017
  2016 - Conducted Program Review
  2015

• Program Review

  2023-24

  2016-17

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.